The tomb of Semiramis hermetically sealed which if a wise-man open (not the ambitious, covetous Cyrus) he shall find the treasures of kings, inexhaustible riches to his content / [by] H.V.D.

CHAP. IV.

Of the second and true Philosophical Solution of Bodies, and their re∣duction into Mercury.

HAving performed Calcination, or the first Solution, whereof we have spoken in the preceding Chapter, and which (as the anonymous Philosopher in his Golden Treatise of the Philosophers Stone in his An∣swer hath it) ought to be sweet and fully natural; that is, which should without noise dissolve the Subject with the preservation of its radical moisture, then the Bodies so cal∣cined must be put into a Phial hermetical∣ly

sealed, and in a gentle heat of Bal. Mar. or Dew, be digested, or Putrified the space of a Philosophical Month: for a voluntary Solution is better than a violent; a tem∣perate, than a speedy; as the Philosopher hath it. And thus is made the second and true Solution of a Metal into viscous water, or a certain Oleity with the preservation of the radical moisture, in which is the true metallick Sulphur, together with the true and most noble Mercury: for one of them is always the Magnet, and remains solving with the solved, and desires to continue insepa∣rably, and that because of the similitude of substance. Wherefore the Ancients said, Na∣ture rejoyceth in Nature, Nature overcom∣eth and altereth Nature, whereby the essen∣tial or formal Solution is distinguished from the corrosive Solution. But you must know that from Luna is obtained a liquor, or green tincture, which is the true Elixir of Luna, and the highest Arcanum to comfort the Brain. But from Sol by equal putrifaction is produced a Liquor of the highest redness, which is the true Elixir of Sol, and the quinessence of Metal. Whereof, saith Geber, we make sanguine Gold better than that produced by Nature, which Nature no wise makes. Concerning this Viscosity, Geber further speaks briefly:

We have most exactly

tried all things, and that by approved Reasons, but we could never find anything permanent in Fire, except the viscous Moisture, the sole radix of all Metals, when as all the other Moistures being not well united in homogeneity do easily flee from Fire, and the Elements are easily separated from one another, but the viscous Moisture, to wit, Mercury is never consumed with Fire, nor is the Water separated from the Earth, but they either remain altogether, or go altogether away.

But will you enquire in what weight the Menstruum is to be espoused to a Metal? The Philosophers Rosary saith,

As in the working of Bread, a little Leaven leaveneth and ferment∣eth a great quantity of Paste; so also a modicum of Earth is sufficient for the nutrition of the whole Stone.

Aristotle nominates the weight, saying,

do thus, and coct till the Earth (that is, the Gold) hath exhausted ten parts of the Wa∣ter.

The Author of Novum Lumen at the end of his Book breaks forth into these words;

There ought to be ten parts of Water to one part of Body: and by this way we make Mercury without common Mercury, by taking ten parts of our Mercurial Water (that is, the Mercurial Oyl of Salt putrefied and alembi∣cated) which is an unctious vapour, to one part of the body of Gold, and being included in a Vessel by continual coction, the Gold is made

Mercury, that is, an unctuous vapour, and not common Mercury, as some falsly do imagine.